Speedy Recovery with Individualized Care

“Some people develop bone spurs,” observes Pat Ayers. “I was one of them.”

Unfortunately, Pat’s bone spur was grinding against the tendon in her shoulder, causing excruciating pain and severely restricting her range of motion.

“My doctor told me only surgery would completely correct the problem,” says Pat, now 62, “but he also suggested that I could benefit from physical therapy before the surgery to build up the muscles in that area. He told me to find a rehabilitation center and start getting therapy.

“I work part time in a doctor’s office,” shares Pat, “and I remembered meeting Ron Berger from ATLAS Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine when he brought some brochures to our office.

“I liked the caring image Ron presented, and I also liked the emphasis he placed on individualized supervision for his patients. I’d gone to a large rehab center in the past where I was one among a group of people receiving therapy. I never felt my rehabilitation got the personalized care I required. I decided to give ATLAS a try.”

One on One

There is only so much progress a patient can make on her own with standard exercises,” notes Ron. “To help patients meet their individual goals, it is important for the therapist to work with a patient’s specific situation, become familiar with the patient’s routine activities to determine if there is something the patient does at home or at work that could interrupt the rehabilitation process. At ATLAS, we take the time to learn about our patients, and to carefully structure their therapy according to their doctors’ instructions to ensure the best possible outcomes for their recovery.”

“At ATLAS, I got exactly what I expected,” assures Pat. “In addition to range of motion exercises, Ron’s staff also included electric stimulation and massage to help reduce the pain and increase the flexibility in my shoulder. I definitely could tell that the muscles in my shoulder were stronger before I finally decided to have my surgery, and that’s why I was happy to go back to ATLAS for the six weeks of rehab that followed my shoulder repair.

“My doctor emphasized to me how important it would be for me to follow his prescribed rehab protocol, and I knew Ron and his staff would be diligent about adhering to it.

“At every therapy session, Ron would measure my range of motion and make sure my progress kept pace with my doctor’s expectations. As encouraged as I was by my progress, Ron never let me ‘overdo’ it, either,” remarks Pat. “He made sure I understood that pushing myself too far could actually re-injure the area we were trying to rehabilitate.”

Through it all, adds Pat, she enjoyed the comfortable feeling that surrounded her at ATLAS. “Everyone receives personal attention, so sometimes I expected to wait a few minutes while another patient’s therapy session was completed,” allows Pat, “but they were so well organized, I don’t think I ever had to wait more than five minutes after I arrived. It’s nice to have people respect the value of your time like that.”

Good Progress

Pat says the staff at ATLAS was so meticulous about her recovery that she progressed faster than anticipated. “My doctor was blown away with my improvement,” Pat confides. “I quickly regained my range of motion, and by my second check-up I was able to lift my arm over my head!

“Things went so well,” adds Pat, “that I was completely recovered in time for my vacation. That’s the best testimonial I can imagine for the value of the individualized attention I got at ATLAS.”

MINE ALL MINE. Pat says the individualized attention she received allowed her to make progress beyond her doctor’s expectations.

Make a note…

The professional staff at ATLAS Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, Inc. will be happy to answer your questions regarding this article or related topics. The office is located in the Mandarin South Business Center, at 12421 San Jose Blvd., Bldg. 2, Suite B, in Jacksonville. For more information, please call (904) 292-0195.

Ronald C. Berger, PT, ATC, is a licensed physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, after earning a degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in athletic training at Samford University, Birmingham.